Vusi Mahlasela
Encyclopedia
Vusi Sidney Mahlasela Ka Zwane (born 1965 in Pretoria
) is a Sotho
South Africa
n singer-songwriter.
His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies. Vusi can also be heard performing on Warren Haynes
' Live at Bonnaroo release during the song "Soulshine", and the Dave Matthews Band
song, "Everyday", from the album of the same name as well as a live version of the song with him which appears on the album The Best of What's Around Vol. 1. Vusi was also one of the performers at the Live 8
concerts.
and Ladysmith Black Mambazo
. Vusi joined Mambazo for their October–November UK
tour in 2004, and again for their 2007 UK tour, again from October to November 2007.
He and other South African musicians took part in the 2002 documentary Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
where they recalled the days of Apartheid.
In June 2007, Mahlasela spoke of apartheid and performed "Thula Mama" at the TED Conference.
On 7 July 2007 Mahlasela performed at the South African leg
of Live Earth
.
His album, Guiding Star, as Naledi Ya Tsela (the name under which it is released in South Africa) won him the 2007 SAMA
for Best Male Artist.
He has participated in videos for Playing for Change
most notably "One Love" and "Stand By Me".
ITV
used his song "When You Come Back" as their main theme for the opening credits of their coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The song was very popular amongst viewers and entered the UK Official Singles Chart on 4 July 2010 at #70.
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
) is a Sotho
Basotho
The ancestors of the Sotho people have lived in southern Africa since around the fifth century. The Sotho nation emerged from the accomplished diplomacy of Moshoeshoe I who gathered together disparate clans of Sotho–Tswana origin that had dispersed across southern Africa in the early 19th century...
South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n singer-songwriter.
His music is generally described as "African folk". His work was an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. His themes include the struggle for freedom, and forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies. Vusi can also be heard performing on Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes
Warren Haynes is an American rock and blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. Haynes is best known for his work as long time guitarist with The Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was a guitarist for David Allan Coe and The Dickey...
' Live at Bonnaroo release during the song "Soulshine", and the Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band
Dave Matthews Band, sometimes shortened to DMB, is a U.S. rock band formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991. The founding members were singer-songwriter and guitarist Dave Matthews, bassist Stefan Lessard, drummer/backing vocalist Carter Beauford and saxophonist LeRoi Moore. Boyd Tinsley was...
song, "Everyday", from the album of the same name as well as a live version of the song with him which appears on the album The Best of What's Around Vol. 1. Vusi was also one of the performers at the Live 8
Live 8
Live 8 was a string of benefit concerts that took place on 2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa. They were timed to precede the G8 Conference and summit held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Auchterarder, Scotland from 6–8 July 2005; they also coincided with the 20th anniversary of Live Aid...
concerts.
Recent works
His album The Voice includes the popular track "Weeping", recorded with Josh GrobanJosh Groban
Joshua Winslow "Josh" Groban is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and record producer. His four solo albums have been certified at least multi-platinum, and in 2007, he was charted as the number-one best selling artist in the United States with over 21 million records in that country...
and Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Ladysmith Black Mambazo is a male choral group from South Africa that sings in the vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They rose to worldwide prominence as a result of singing with Paul Simon on his album, Graceland and have won multiple awards, including three Grammy Awards...
. Vusi joined Mambazo for their October–November UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
tour in 2004, and again for their 2007 UK tour, again from October to November 2007.
He and other South African musicians took part in the 2002 documentary Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony
Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a 2002 documentary film depicting the struggles of black South Africans against the injustices of Apartheid through the use of music. The film takes its name from the Nguni word amandla, which means power.The film was Produced by Sherry Simpson Dean...
where they recalled the days of Apartheid.
In June 2007, Mahlasela spoke of apartheid and performed "Thula Mama" at the TED Conference.
On 7 July 2007 Mahlasela performed at the South African leg
Live Earth concert, Johannesburg
The Live Earth concert in South Africa was held at the Coca-Cola Dome, South Africa on 7 July 2007.-Running order:*South African Drum Cafe Team - unknown title...
of Live Earth
Live Earth
-Background:Founded by Emmy-winning producer Kevin Wall, in partnership with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, Live Earth was built upon the belief that entertainment has the power to transcend social and cultural barriers to move the world community to action...
.
His album, Guiding Star, as Naledi Ya Tsela (the name under which it is released in South Africa) won him the 2007 SAMA
South African Music Awards
The South African Music Awards are an annual award ceremony, run by the Recording Industry of South Africa , where accolades are presented to members of South Africa's music industry. Winners receive a statuette is called a SAMA. The event was established in 1995...
for Best Male Artist.
He has participated in videos for Playing for Change
Playing for Change
Playing for Change is a multimedia music project created by the American producer and sound engineer Mark Johnson with his Timeless Media Group, that seeks to bring together musicians from around the world...
most notably "One Love" and "Stand By Me".
ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
used his song "When You Come Back" as their main theme for the opening credits of their coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The song was very popular amongst viewers and entered the UK Official Singles Chart on 4 July 2010 at #70.
Studio albums
| Title | Release Date | Billboard Top World Albums |
|---|---|---|
| When You Come Back When You Come Back -Track listing:# "When You Come Back"# "Melodi Ya Mamelodi"# "Manana"# "Tonkana"# "Epitoli"# "Gijimane Masotsha"# "Hello Mams"# "In Solitary Confinement"# "Red Song"# "Vision"# "Untitled"# "Mayibuye"-FIFA World Cup 2010:... |
1992 | |
| Wisdom of Forgiveness Wisdom of Forgiveness -Track listing:# "Hope"# "Ntate Mahlasela"# "Ubuhle Bomhlaba"# "Tontobane"# "Fountain"# "Basimanyana"# "Yithi Masotsha"# "Don't Tramp on Me"# "Emigodini"# "Nquondo Phumula"# "Two Birds"# "Treason"# "Wisdom of Forgiveness"... |
1994 | |
| Silang Mabele Silang Mabele -Track listing:# "Khunkhwane"# "Silang Mabele"# "Loneliness"# "Sleep Tight Margaret"# "Antone"# "Kwa-Zulu"# "Troubador"# "Africa is Dying"# "Smomothela"# "Love Prints"# "Ke Kgale"# "Kuyobanjani Na?"# "Voices"# "Weeping"... |
1997 | |
| Miyela Afrika Miyela Afrika -Track listing:# "The Earth I Know is a Woman"# "Ingoma"# "Mme Motswadi"# "Miyela Afrika"# "A Proud People"# "Will You Have Time?"# "Amdokwe"# "Sipho Sami"# "Afrika Borwa"# "Ntate Mohapi"# "A Prayer for Our Time"# "Mama Bombay"# "Khelo Kha Magheshe"... |
2000 | |
| Jungle of Questions (with the Proud Peoples Band) Jungle of Questions (with the Proud Peoples Band) Jungle of Questions is the second album Vusi Mahlasela released in 2000, .It was recorded with the Proud People's Band.-Track listing:# "Di-Ana"# "Tswang Tswang Tswang"# "Sabela"# "Mamelodi"... |
||
| Naledi Ya Tsela (Guiding Star Guiding Star Naledi Ya Tsela, is Vusi Mahlasela's sixth studio album. Songs on the album are sung in five languages: English, Sepedi, Sesotho, isiZulu, and seTswana... ) |
2007 | |
| Say Africa Say Africa Say Africa is the seventh studio album by South African musician Vusi Mahlasela. The album was produced by produced by Taj Mahal with the basic tracks were recorded in Dave Matthews' studio and completed in Johannesburg. Mahlasela performs duets with Taj Mahal and Angelique Kidjo on the album... |
2010 |
Live albums
| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Live at the Bassline Live at the Bassline Live at the Bassline is a live album by Vusi Mahlasela and Louis Mhlanga.-Track listing:# "Ubuhle Bomhlaba"# "Two Birds"# "Silang Mabele"# "Zvinoshamisa"# "When You Come Back"# "Fountain"# "Basimanyana"# "Tontobane"# "Mai Rugare"# "Untitled"... |
1999 |
Soundtracks
| Title | Release Date |
|---|---|
| Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony is a 2002 documentary film depicting the struggles of black South Africans against the injustices of Apartheid through the use of music. The film takes its name from the Nguni word amandla, which means power.The film was Produced by Sherry Simpson Dean... |
2002 |
| Tsotsi Tsotsi Tsotsi is a 2005 film written and directed by Gavin Hood. The film is an adaptation of the novel Tsotsi, by Athol Fugard. The soundtrack features Kwaito music performed by popular South African artist Zola as well as a score by Mark Kilian and Paul Hepker featuring the voice of South African... |
2005 |
Compilations
| Title | Release Date | Billboard Top World Albums |
|---|---|---|
| The Voice (Vusi Mahlasela album) The Voice (Vusi Mahlasela album) The Voice is a 'best of' compilation of tracks from all five of Vusi Mahlasela's previous studio albums.-Track listing:# "Melodi Ya Mamelodi"# "Silang Mabele"# "When You Come Back"# "Weeping"# "Sleep Tight Margaret"# "Red Song"# "Troubadour"... |
2003 | 13 |
External links
- TED Talks: Vusi Mahlasela sings "Thula Mama" at TED GlobalTED (conference)TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
in 2007 - TED Talks: Vusi Mahlasela's encore at TEDGlobal2007 at TED GlobalTED (conference)TED is a global set of conferences owned by the private non-profit Sapling Foundation, formed to disseminate "ideas worth spreading"....
in 2007 - A profile of Vusi Mahlasela on www.music.org.za
- Mail & Guardian Musical Slideshow: Vusi Mahlasela performs at the KykNET Irene Summer Series near Pretoria, South Africa, October 2009
- Playing for Change - Vusi Mahlasela